Harder Times Yet to Come for Small and Mid-size Hotels

Vassilis Minaidis, president of the Panhellenic Hoteliers’ Federation; board member Spyros Divanis; and secretary general of the federation, Gerasimos Kalligeros.

Speakers at the last month’s general assembly of the Panhellenic Hoteliers’ Federation told hoteliers that the worse is yet to come for small and mid-size hotels. “Only the big hotel units that offer a brand-name product and our unique small city hotels will survive within the tourism business market in the coming years,” said federation member Andreas Andreadis.

He said that without a specific brand, and the funds to confront the new state of affairs, small Greek hotel units are going to find it more and more difficult to compete – some 70% of all hotels in Spain are run under brand name chains.

Vassilis Minaidis, president of the federation, spoke on present tax legislation, the need for clear legislation on hotel swimming pools, and loan charges. He also referred to the tourism ministry and stressed that it must create a common body for promotion, both domestically and internationally, of our tourism product.

Mr. Minaidis then urged all members not to continue with last year’s efforts to entice customers by drop-ping prices for tour operators to unrealistic levels. In the same vein, he suggested that something must be done to confront the “unfair” competition hotel units face from rural or “agrotourism” lodgings.